A classic Reuben sandwich is made with deli-style corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island or Russian dressing, all piled onto warm, toasty rye bread. While the basic formula remains the same, there are a few different ways you can prepare it. Here are a few recipes worth trying the next time you find yourself craving a Reuben sandwich.

Steps

Method1

Easy Version

1

Squeeze the moisture out of the sauerkraut.[1] Lay the sauerkraut on several layers of clean paper towels. Wrap the sauerkraut inside the paper towels and squeeze gently over a sink or bowl to get the excess liquid out.

Squeeze out as much moisture as possible. If too much excess remains, it can seep into the bread, causing it to turn soft and mushy.

2

Butter half of the bread slices. Butter one side of four slices. Gently line the slices up butter-side down on a piece of wax paper.

The buttered side will need to be on the outside as the sandwich cooks, so when you assemble the sandwiches, the non-buttered side needs to face up.

If you do not use wax paper, you may end losing too much of the butter after you lift the sandwich up.

3

Layer on the corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut, and dressing. Evenly divide the corned beef and place it on the bottom of each sandwich. On top of the corned beef, lay one piece of Swiss cheese, sauerkraut (1/4 amount for each sandwich), and roughly 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of prepared Thousand Island dressing.[2]

4

Butter the remaining bread slices. Butter one side of the remaining four bread slices and place one slice onto the top of each sandwich with the buttered side facing out.

As with the first half of the bread, the buttered side must face out to come into contact with the hot skillet.

5

Melt another 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of butter in a griddle. Add the butter and heat over medium until it melts completely.

Note that you can also use a shallow frying pan or skillet if you do not have a griddle.

By buttering both the sandwiches and the griddle, you create more evenly toasted bread with a softer texture and a more buttery flavor.

6

Cook the sandwiches until both sides are toasted. Add the sandwiches to the buttered, hot griddle. Once the cheese begins to melt and the sides along the bottom look golden brown, carefully flip the sandwiches over and cook the other side.

The other side should also be golden brown before you remove it from the pan.

7

Serve hot. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and slice in half before serving.

Method2

Slow-Cooked Version

1

Place the sauerkraut and brisket in a slow cooker. Lay the sauerkraut in the slow cooker first, followed by the beef brisket.

If you use a corned beef brisket, you should receive a packet of spices, as well. Sprinkle the spices over the brisket in the slow cooker.

There is no need to drain the sauerkraut before adding it. In fact, the extra liquid helps the corned beef cook properly without drying out.

2

Cook on low 9 to 11 hours.[3] Cover the slow cooker and cook until it turns very tender.

Do not remove the lid as the corned beef cooks. Doing so will release the heat trapped inside, altering the overall cooking time.

If you want to prepare this dish a little faster, cook on high for about 5 hours.

3

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with a sheet of aluminum foil.

If you prefer a cleaner taste, you could skip the foil and coat the baking sheet in a fine layer of nonstick cooking spray, instead.

4

Bake the bread until the crust hardens. Place the whole loaf of rye on the baking sheet and into the oven. Bake it for about 15 minutes.

Do not leave the bread in the oven long enough to brown or burn. It should only be left long enough to get a little crusty.

5

Cut the bread into 12 slices. After the bread is cool enough to touch, use a serrated knife to cut the loaf into 12 separate slices.

Let the bread cool for about 5 minutes before trying to handle it.

Cut the bread at a 45-degree angle.

6

Combine the dressing ingredients. Add the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, parsley, onion, relish, lemon juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce to a small bowl and whisk until well combined.

Note that this will yield slightly more than you need for your sandwiches. Any extra can be saved in an airtight container and refrigerated for several days.

The dressing you are making for this sandwich is known as a Russian dressing.

7

Slice the beef when ready. After the corned beef finishes cooking, remove it from the slow cooker and transfer it to a cutting board. Use a carving knife to cut the beef into small slices.

Slice against the grain instead of with it. Slow cooked corned beef is already tender, but if you slice it against the grain, it will be even tenderer. Slicing with the grain, however, can cause the beef to become a little tougher and stringier.

8

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add roughly 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of butter to a large skillet and heat on the stove over medium heat until the butter melts.

Note that a griddle or wide griddle pan may work even better since it has low sides, making it easier to flip the sandwiches during the cooking process.

9

Assemble the sandwiches. Layer equal amounts of sliced corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing onto six slices of your toasted bread. Top each sandwich with another slice of rye bread.

Each sandwich should have two slices of cheese on it and as much as 4 Tbsp (60 ml) of Russian dressing.

Remove the sauerkraut from the slow cooker using a slotted spoon, draining as much liquid as possible from the sauerkraut before adding it to the sandwich.

10

Cook the Reuben sandwiches on the stove. Add the sandwiches to the prepared skillet and cook for about 7 minutes on the first side, or until the sides are crisp and golden brown. Flip with a spatula and finish cooking for a few more minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt and the other side to turn golden brown.

Note that you may need to prepare the sandwiches one or two at a time instead of cooking all six at once. You may also need to add more butter as you continue to finish the sandwiches.

11

Slice and serve. Transfer each finished sandwich to a cutting board and cut in half with a serrated knife before serving.

Method3

Vegan Version

1

Combine the dressing ingredients.[4] Place the vegan mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish in a small bowl and whisk together until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.

This is a vegan alternative to Thousand Island dressing, which usually contains standard mayonnaise.

2

Heat the cider vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, and caraway in a saucepan. Place the four ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to simmer but has not yet come to a full boil.

Heating the ingredients will help the flavors blend more thoroughly.

3

Add the tempeh.[5] Carefully place the slices of tempeh into the simmering seasoning mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes.

Stir the tempeh periodically as it cooks to prevent it from burning or sticking.

By the end of this step, you will have little to no liquid left in the saucepan.

4

Heat oil in a separate skillet. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium for a couple of minutes.

When done, the oil should be glossy enough to look as though it is “shimmering.” Do not allow it to become so hot that it starts to smoke, though.

5

Sauté the tempeh. Add the tempeh to the hot oil and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, turning halfway through to cook both sides.

This part of the process makes the tempeh slightly crispy.

6

Heat oil in another frying pan. Grease a frying pan or griddle with a light coating of olive oil and heat for a couple of minutes over medium heat.

You could also use cooking spray instead of olive oil, if desired.

7

Assemble the sandwiches. Lay out 4 slices of rye bread. On each slice, place 1/4 of the tempeh, 1 slice of vegan cheese, 1/4 of the sauerkraut, and 1/4 of the vegan Thousand Island dressing. Top each sandwich with another slice of rye bread.

8

Cook until the bread turns golden brown. Place the assembled sandwiches in the oiled frying pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.

Each side should turn a light golden brown when done.

9

Serve hot. Remove the finished sandwiches and place them on a cutting board. Cut in half with a serrated knife and enjoy.